Test spinner Stuart MacGill made an encouraging return from injury to help NSW take a firm grip on their Pura Cup match against dour Tasmania at Bellerive Oval in Hobart yesterday.

With MacGill completing 23 steady and untroubled overs and taking 2-69 in his first match since injuring a calf muscle early last month, NSW had Tasmania in deep trouble at 5-230 at the midway point of the match.

After a painfully and perplexingly slow day from the Tasmanians, a further 74 runs will be needed from the Tigers today for them to avoid the follow-on, with the tail now exposed after Blues captain Steve Waugh declared at 5-453 half an hour into yesterday's play.

MacGill got into familiar rhythm, extracting a fair amount of turn, especially in a spell of 1-24 from 10 overs after tea, later saying he felt on track for his international return in the first Test against India from December 4.

"It exceeded expectations from my point of view, today, so I can't see any hiccups in the future," he said. "I think I'll just improve from here.

"In the last month, I've had probably three 25-minute bowls. Today it was a 25-over bowl and I'm pretty happy about it, because there was a period in there where I felt like I was bowling well again, which was great."

MacGill was less impressed, though, like most people at the ground, by the tactics of the Tasmanians on what remains an ideal batting pitch. In contrast to a frenetic first day, when centuries by Steve Waugh and Simon Katich helped NSW to a mammoth 5-408 off 96 overs, action slowed to a walk yesterday owing to a baffling conservatism from the locals, who faced nine fewer overs for 178 less runs. This approach was particularly embodied by Michael DiVenuto and Michael Dighton, who made a 37-run, fourth-wicket stand off 158 balls straddling tea, including just three runs in the first 9.5 overs of the last session.

"I was a little surprised at the fact Tasmania just seemed intent on occupying the crease," said MacGill, whose side is well poised to make their record two wins from as many starts in their cup defence. "Whilst we bowled well, I didn't think we bowled well enough to restrict the scoring to that extent. If we have a great first hour tomorrow we're the only side that's looking strong to win six points."

After the Blues declared half an hour into the morning, former West Australian paceman Matthew Nicholson continued his fine start for his new state by striking with his first ball, the seventh of the innings, with the key wicket of Jamie Cox for a duck. Cox fended a straight ball downwards and saw it bounce onto his stumps.

Opener Scott Mason and all-rounder Shane Watson settled in for a 90-run partnership off 208 balls before Watson fell lbw to a MacGill flipper after making 37 from 105 deliveries. Mason departed six overs later for 58 from 118 balls, squandering his start with an edge behind from a lead-footed slash at Nicholson, who ended with 2-44 from 15 overs of fine pace and accuracy.

Tasmania were 3-106 in the 42nd over, and it was then the excitement really stopped. DiVenuto and Dighton were dire, and could easily have been mistaken for a couple of mussels on the banks of Derwent River flanking the ground.

They added 27 runs in 14 overs to tea, then showed even less interest after the break. Mercifully, it all came to an end when Dighton made a berserk attempt to break the shackles, lunging at MacGill but managing only a miscued loft to wide mid-off, where Nicholson took a superb running catch.

Thankfully for all concerned, this brought Dan Marsh to the crease, and in the manner of his father and ex-Test star Rod, the Tigers captain attacked, scoring 57 from 67 balls to stumps.

Along the way he lost DiVenuto, who had added two runs in 50 minutes after tea, but was run out for a 125-ball 36 in trying to force some pace when sent back by Marsh from an attempted single off Nicholson. It was MacGill, capping a fine day, who threw to wicketkeeper Brad Haddin from mid-off.